Finding Home
by Caroline Gottschalk Jackson
Summary: Taylor is left by her lover in the middle of New York. She stands on the bridge reflecting on it, now homeless lost, then someone comes to comfort her


            True love, Ha! What a joke. Love had left Taylor homeless and now lonely on a bridge. Her stupid so called lover left her for some hooker. Wasn't that how things rolled in New York huh? Taylor and Jacob had lived in New Jersey in the big city in the some lame orphanage. Jacob had just turned eighteen and had decided that no one was going to adopt him or Taylor anytime soon. So the two had run off together to get married and live in Manhattan. But look at that, the little bastard had run off with the first girl who'd sauntered by.

            So here Taylor was alone. On some stupid bridge, stranded. She was sixteen years old and was very naive. She had truly believed that Jacob loved her. And why should she have doubted that? They had been together for two years now. He had given her, her first kiss. He had been her world. Not anymore though, and good riddance. Who needed that jackass anyway?

            Taylor didn't realize she was crying at first. Her tears trickled down her face silently. Inside she was in pieces. Was she not pretty? Sure she looked a little plain; brown hair that was curly and reached past her shoulders, she was thin, not to full in the curves department but she had beautiful eyes. Her eyes were a captivating mixture of green and blue, Jacob had told her the first thing her fell in love with were her eyes. Damn eyes.

            "Hey goil, what's da matta wid you'se?" A male voice asked startling Taylor out of her thoughts.

            "Nothing, I'm fine," Taylor sniffed as she whipped her nose. "Just leave me alone." Her voice sounded so sad even in her own ears. This was just great; this guy would probably rape her or something now…just to make things worse. 

            "Oh come on, I'se known a bunch a goils and day just don't cry for no reason. Usually day cry cause…well…we'se won't get into dat."  The boy was quiet, well he wasn't really a boy, and out of the corner of her eye Taylor could tell he was still young, probably in his late teens. When she said nothing the boy continued on. "Look usually I'se could care less if I'se ran into some goil cryin on da bridge but…" His voice trailed off. 

            "But what?" Taylor asked bitterly. "Just want to get me into your pants? Make me feel like you care, screw me, then leave me?"  She looked up at the boy. He was about her height and had bright blue eyes. Newspaper ink stained his hands and a slingshot occupied his back pocket. He looked at her over through wary eyes.

            "No, why do you'se ask? Do you'se know who I'se am?" He asked carefully.

            "What? No, I'm from Jersey."

            "Ah ha!" He exclaimed making Taylor jump. 

            "What?" She snapped irritated. 

            "You'se from Jersey! See now was dat so hard ta say?"

            Taylor glared at the boy. "Yes, it tore me up inside," She replied angrily. Taylor looked out over the bridge to the inky water below. Unlike the nice quite lake next to the orphanage you couldn't see the night sky and twinkling stars in its reflection. Taylor let out a sigh.

            "Ok fine if I tell you what's bother me will you leave me alone?" The boy didn't respond but Taylor went on anyway. "My…uhh…lover I guess you could say…and I ran away from the orphanage we live at in Jersey. We were supposed to get married and find some place to stay but he ran off after some hooker with all of our money and left me alone. The stupid jackass, it's his problem thought right?" Taylor's voice began to waver a bit. "So now I'm broke, alone, and homeless in New York City where I'm prying not to get mugged and raped."

            The boy looked at her for a moment. "You'se can come wid me," He said his voice gentle. When Taylor sent him a guarded look he had to smile. "I'se won't rape you or nothin'. I just know someplace you'se can stay, and a job too. So what do you'se say?"

            "Alright, just you better not try anything, I'm a pretty good fighter," Taylor remarked as she followed the stranger towards Brooklyn.

            "I'se bet you'se are and if not I'll teach you'se how ta fight even better. And I'll teach you'se had ta use a slingshot, den we'se can go beat da crap outta dis jackass who done and left you'se. Good plan?" The boy flashed Taylor a grin that made her knees go weak. 

            "Great plan," She answered trying to keep her balance. "So what's this job?"

            "A newsie, I'se gonna turn you'se inta da second best newsie in all of New York…and everywhere else."

            "Oh alright, and who's the best?" Taylor felt her guard slip away. She felt safe around this boy, felt comfortable. She felt something she had never felt between herself and Jacob. Maybe what she had felt towards Jacob hadn't been true love. She was betting that it hadn't been.

            "Why me a'coise," The boy answered his grin never faltering.

            "And who are you?"

            The boy sent her a sidelong glance and his grin faded a bit. She wouldn't know about his reputation for being a…well a womanizer. She had just gotten here. He didn't want her to get mad or something; he felt a connection between them, something strong and warm. He had felt it when he had seen her sad figure on the bridge all alone. He liked her and he didn't even know her. This scared him a bit but he liked the feeling; it was a feeling he had never gotten before.

            "I'se Spot Conlon, leadea of da Brooklyn newsies, which you'se are gonna be startin' tomorrow."

            "Nice to met you Spot, I'm Taylor, but call me Ty," Taylor said grinning. Taylor belonged in Jersey while Ty; Ty belonged in Brooklyn, with this Spot Conlon.

            "Alright Ty, welcome to your new home." He gestured towards a two story tall building wedged between two other huge ones. On the outside of the building hung a sign that said 'Newsboys Lodging House'. 

            Spot led her into the house and as soon as she entered the cozy building Taylor knew she was home.

THE END

((Review please! If anyone thinks that I should turn this into a chapter story please tell me! But otherwise I'm just gonna make it a short story. Well thanks for reading it and please click that review button))               


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